Ionia County Democratic Party: 'Did You Know?'

This is the first edition of my monthly columns. I hope you find the articles informative and enjoyable. Feel free to let me know either way.

Lynn MasonIonia County Democratic Party Chairperson

This is the first edition of my monthly columns. I hope you find the articles informative and enjoyable. Feel free to let me know either way.

Did you know that I am Lynn Mason, Chairperson of the Ionia County Democratic Party?

First off, let me say that I appreciate the opportunity to contribute. Now, for those of you who read the previous sentences and have already decided that you are going to stop reading, I want to say thank you for taking the time to get your hands on a newspaper!

Whether you are reading this the old-fashioned way with the actual paper in your hands, or if you are reading it electronically, thank you! You have chosen to enrich your mind and take the opportunity to learn about this wonderful Ionia County and the surrounding communities. Good job! Now teach this skill to someone younger and less experienced than you are.

My goal with these articles is simply informative. I will write about issues that our members have deemed newsworthy and interesting.

As our first meeting got under way this year, we decided that we needed a focus. That focus is "Community." As you know the talk of guns and violence prevention continues in virtually every dining room, coffee house, chat group, or news broadcast since that horrible tragedy in Connecticut. It is time that we change the discussion by looking at it from the "Community" point of view. So, as the year moves quickly on, you will be able to see our members at work sharing, volunteering, and educating people about "Community."

There was a time when Americans were challenged to ask not what their country could do for them, but what they could do for their country. However, in recent years, we seem to have become less interested in looking first to the needs of others – especially the needs of the most vulnerable – and more interested in meeting only the needs of ourselves. America is always at its best when we ask, "What can I do to give back?" rather than, "What is in it for me?"

What is in it for you if you become involved in the Ionia County Democratic Party? You will have the chance to give back, a chance to learn how to be a better neighbor, and a chance to be around others who want the same opportunities. We meet on the second Saturday of each month at the Ionia City Hall building starting at 9:30. Hope to see you there!

"It is not fair to ask of others what you are not willing to do yourself."— Eleanor Roosevelt